I think back to the beginning years of my teaching career. Back to when surviving the daily struggles of lesson planning and classroom management were the top priorities. As the years passed, I began volunteering for school committees and then began contributing at the district level.

I believe my experience with OFLA has followed a similar path. When I was a pre-service teacher, I attended the OFLA conference hungry for anything I could use in my classroom. Then I began presenting with fellow teachers and then by myself at the conference. Then I joined an OFLA committee. A few years ago, I was asked to join the OFLA board. I have found that my participation on the OFLA board has helped me grow both personally and professionally as well as given me the opportunity to work with, and befriend, world language teachers from all over Ohio.

Let me now ask you, where are you at with OFLA? Are you ready to “step up” in your world language state organization? It is time to start thinking about the OFLA elections that will happen early in 2017.

OFLA will fill seven seats on the board during the 2017-2018 academic year. Elected positions up for this election, to begin in 2017, are:

1.Executive Vice President: A presidential track position, four year commitment leading to the Presidency of OFLA in the third year

2.Executive Treasurer: 3 year term

3.Professional Development Chair: 3 year term

4.Editor of Electronic Publications: 3 year term

We will also need a slate of committee chairs for a one year term (2017-2018). The committee chairs needed are:

1.Beginning Teachers Committee Chair

2.Early Language Learning Chair

3.Technology Integration Committee Chair

If you, or someone you know, are ready to step up in OFLA, please contact me. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.